Method and communication terminal apparatus for displaying function in communication

ABSTRACT

A mobile communication terminal and method are provided for receiving an incoming voice call and for displaying a notification, an incoming phone number, and an elapsed voice communication time during an incoming voice communication. The method includes receiving a call request from a base station; responding to the call request, to perform a call-setup with the base station; in response to the call-set up, automatically displaying a plurality of icons together with the notification, the incoming phone number, and the elapsed voice communication time, wherein the plurality of icons are respectively associated with voice communication related functions, and wherein at least one of the plurality of icons includes a graphic symbol portion and a text portion; receiving an input for selecting one of the plurality of icons; and performing a voice communication related function associated with the selected icon while in the incoming voice communication.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority under 35U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/248,993, which wasfiled in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Apr. 9, 2014, and toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/829,791, which was filed in the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office on Apr. 22, 2004, and which claimed priorityunder 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean Patent Application Serial No.10-2003-0049849, which was filed in the Korean Industrial PropertyOffice on Jul. 21, 2003, the contents of each of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and communication terminalapparatus for displaying a function in communication, more particularlyto a method and communication terminal apparatus capable of displayingand selecting functions which can be performed in communication.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a communication terminal apparatus such as a portabletelephone or a wire/wireless telephone provides functions which can beperformed in communication (hereinafter, referred to as ‘function incommunication’). For instance, the function list in communication mayinclude a telephone directory, a transmission/reception volume control,a transmission sound interception (i.e. “mute”) and a key sound control.

However, conventional communication terminals do not positively inform auser of such a function in communication. For instance, in order to usethe function in communication, a user calling by means of theconventional communication terminal must display menus with respect tothe function in communication through a separate key operation. Then,the user must select a desired function in communication from among themenus displayed by the result of the key operation.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view regarding a screen in communication of aconventional portable telephone. Referring to FIG. 1, a portabletelephone in communication displays an antenna bar representing areception intensity of the portable telephone, a communication state, apower state of the portable telephone, a communication time of acorresponding communication and a telephone number of a counterpart.FIG. 1 shows, as an example, a portable telephone that includes adisplay unit for displaying items as described above.

That is, in the prior art, since the communication terminals incommunication displays only communication information with respect to acorresponding communication, users can't conveniently use or readily beinformed of function in communication. Furthermore, there have beenusers who have not known the function in communication itself.Therefore, there have been many users who are unable to effectively usesuch communication terminal apparatuses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve theabove-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and a primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a method and acommunication terminal apparatus, which enable a user to effectively usethe communication terminal apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and acommunication terminal apparatus, which enable users to conveniently usea function in communication.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned objects, according to anembodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mobilecommunication terminal operable for receiving an incoming voice call andfor displaying a notification, an incoming phone number, and an elapsedvoice communication time during a voice communication for the incomingvoice call. The mobile communication terminal includes a display unit; amobile communication unit for performing voice communication; and aprocessor configured to receive a call request from a base station viathe mobile communication unit, respond to the call request via themobile communication unit to perform a call-setup with the base station,in response to the call-set up, control the display unit toautomatically display a plurality of icons together with thenotification, the incoming phone number, and the elapsed voicecommunication time, wherein the plurality of icons are respectivelyassociated with voice communication related functions, wherein at leastone of the plurality of icons includes a graphic symbol portion and atext portion, and wherein the notification indicates a network state anda battery state, receive an input for selecting one of the plurality oficons, and perform a voice communication related function associatedwith the selected icon while in the incoming voice communication.

According to another embodiment of the present, there is also provided amethod of a mobile communication terminal for receiving an incomingvoice call and for displaying a notification, an incoming phone number,and an elapsed voice communication time during a voice communication forthe incoming voice call. The method includes receiving a call requestfrom a base station; responding to the call request, to perform acall-setup with the base station; in response to the call-set up,automatically displaying a plurality of icons together with thenotification, the incoming phone number, and the elapsed voicecommunication time, wherein the plurality of icons are respectivelyassociated with voice communication related functions, wherein at leastone of the plurality of icons includes a graphic symbol portion and atext portion, and wherein the notification indicates a network state anda battery state; receiving an input for selecting one of the pluralityof icons; and performing a voice communication related functionassociated with the selected icon while in the incoming voicecommunication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view regarding a screen in communication of aconventional portable telephone;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a construction of a communicationterminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a display method of a function incommunication of a communication terminal apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a function incommunication in a communication terminal apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 5A and 5B are exemplary views regarding a screen in communicationof a portable telephone according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, various embodiments according to the present invention willbe described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In thefollowing description of the present invention, a detailed descriptionof known functions and configuration incorporated herein are omitted toavoid making the subject matter of the present invention unclear.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a construction of a communicationterminal apparatus, which displays a function in communication,according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.2, the communication terminal 100 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention includes a main processor 110, a display unit 120, aninput unit 130, a memory 140, a speaker unit 150 and a communicationinterface unit 160.

The input unit 130 and the speaker unit 150 provide an interface betweenthe communication terminal 100 and a user, and they are commonlyincluded in general communication terminal apparatuses, such as awire/wireless telephone or a portable telephone, together with amicrophone unit (not shown). Accordingly, a detailed descriptionregarding the input unit 130 and the speaker unit 150 is omitted.

The display unit 120 displays an operation state of the communicationterminal 100 and an input item provided from a user, and particularlydisplays communication information when the communication terminal 100is on line.

The communication interface unit 160 provides a communication interfacebetween the communication terminal 100 and an outside network connectiondevice (not shown). Herein, the outside network connection devicesupports a call service between a communication terminal apparatus and anetwork, such as a telephone exchange in a public switched telephonenetwork and a base station in a mobile telephone network. A detaileddescription regarding the outside network connection device is omitted.

The memory 140 stores and manages operation information including basicoperation information, additional function information and a functionlist in communication. Herein, the basic operation information includesinformation for supporting a call service function which is an inherentfunction of the communication terminal 100. The additional functioninformation are services, such as an alarm, a morning call or atelephone directory, which can be provided by the communication terminal100 in addition to the call service function. The function list incommunication is a list for items of functions (so-called“in-communication functions”) which can be selected and performed fromamong the additional functions while the communication terminal 100 isin communication. Herein, the function in communication may include atelephone directory, a transmission/reception volume control, atransmission sound interception (i.e. “mute”) and a key sound control, atransmission of self number, a call shift, a call holding, conferencecall, call recording, Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF), memo, etc. Atransmission of self number is used to send the self number. DTMF isused to send the number inputted by the user as a DTMF tone signal. Acall shift is used to connect an incoming call and hold with a currentcall (i.e. shift between a current call and an incoming call). A callholding is used to hold a current call.

In order to perform such functions, the memory 140 includes a basicoperation information storage 142 for storing and managing the basicoperation information, an additional function information storage 144for storing and managing the additional function information, and afunction list in communication storage 146 for storing and managing thefunction list in communication.

The main processor 110 preferably controls the entire operation of thecommunication terminal 100. Particularly, when an operation mode of thecommunication terminal 100 changes from a communication waiting mode toa communication mode, the main processor 110 reads a menu (hereinafter,a menu in communication) capable of selecting the function incommunication from the function list in communication storage 146 anddisplays the menu on the display unit 120.

Further, the main processor 110 may modify the function list incommunication on the basis of an operation signal of a user inputtedthrough the input unit 130. For instance, the main processor 110 deletesan item, which a user wants to delete, from among items included in apredetermined function list in communication, and the main processor 110adds an item, which a user wants to add, to a predetermined functionlist in communication. Particularly, for additional modification of thefunction list in communication, the main processor 110 reads an item,which can be added to the function list in communication, from theadditional function information storage 144 and provides the item to auser.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a display method of a function incommunication of a communication terminal 100 according to an embodimentof the present invention. In the example in FIG. 3, a network connectiondevice for supporting a call service between the communication terminal100 and a network is shown as a base station (or an exchange)(hereinafter, referred to as a base station 200).

Referring to FIG. 3, when the communication terminal 100 having receiveda call request (S110) from the base station 200 responds with respect tothe request (S120), a call-set up for calling is performed between thecommunication terminal 100 and the base station 200 (S130). Throughsteps S110 to S130, a general call-set up process was briefly described,but a call-set up process is not limited to the method exemplified inFIG. 3.

Next, when the call-set up is performed between the communicationterminal 100 and the base station 200 through the aforementioned steps,an operation mode of the communication terminal 100 changes from acommunication waiting mode to a communication mode. Then, thecommunication terminal 100 reads an already stored function list incommunication from the function list in communication storage 146 in thememory 140 and then displays the list as a menu on the display unit 120(S140). Herein, it is preferred that the function list in communicationis displayed by a text type or an icon type.

Next, when a user selects a desired menu from among the function list incommunication (S150), a function corresponding to the selection isperformed (S160).

Also, the communication terminal 100 may enable the function list incommunication to be displayed according to a predetermined display time.For instance, the function list in communication is displayed just afteran operation mode of the communication terminal 100 changes to acommunication mode, but the function list in communication is displayedduring a predetermined display time. Herein, when information selectedby a user is not inputted during the display time, the communicationterminal 100 may enable the function list in communication to be deletedon a screen.

Further, the communication terminal 100 may enable the function list incommunication to be periodically displayed according to a predetermineddisplay time interval.

Further, when a user does not want to display the function list incommunication, the communication terminal 100 may be set according toinformation selected by a user so that the communication terminal 100does not display the function list in communication even if an operationmode of the communication terminal 100 changes to a communication mode.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a function incommunication in a communication terminal apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, thecommunication terminal 100 receives a call request message from anoutside network connection device such as a base station or an exchange(S210) and responds with respect to the request (S220). As a result ofthe response, when a call-set up is performed between the communicationterminal 100 and the outside network connection device (S230), anoperation mode of the communication terminal 100 changes to acommunication mode (S240). That is, the operation mode of thecommunication terminal 100 changes from a communication waiting mode toa communication mode. Then, the communication terminal 100 reads afunction list in communication stored in advance from the memory 140 anddisplays the function list in communication (S250).

Further, when a user selects an item that the user wants to perform fromthe function list in communication_(S260), a function corresponding tothe selection is performed (S270).

Further, though not shown in drawings, the communication terminal 100can modify the function list in communication on the basis of request ofa user. For instance, according to a user's command to add/delete thefunction list in communication, it is possible that a menu selected bythe user is added to the function list in communication or acorresponding menu is deleted from the function list in communication.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are exemplary views regarding a screen in communicationof a portable telephone according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. That is, FIGS. 5A and 5B show an example in which a functionlist in communication is displayed on a portable telephone incommunication. FIG. 5A shows an example in which the function list incommunication is displayed by a text type and FIG. 5B shows an examplein which the function list in communication is displayed by an icontype.

In a method and communication terminal apparatus for displaying afunction in communication according to the present invention, thefunction in communication is automatically informed to a user, therebyenabling a user to conveniently use the function in communication.Accordingly, in the present invention, a user can effectively use thecommunication terminal apparatus. Further, a user can select thefunction in communication, thereby realizing an operation environment ofa communication terminal apparatus according to the user's individualpreferences.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. An apparatus comprising: a display; a communicationinterface; and a processor which: receives, via the communicationinterface, a call request from a network, the call request to establisha call between the apparatus and an electronic device external to theapparatus; performs at least part of a call-set up with the network; andpresents, via the display, a menu associated with the call based atleast in part on a determination that the call is established.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the menu comprises at least one of anicon or text.
 19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the menu comprisestext displayed below an icon.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein themenu comprises text displayed adjacent to an icon.
 21. The apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the menu is displayed during the call.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the menu provides at least one of a mutefunction, a contact function, and a video call function.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the menu provides a mute function and acall hold function.
 24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the callcomprises a voice call.
 25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein theapparatus further comprises: a memory which stores at least one functionassociated with calls, wherein the processor reads the at least onefunction from the memory based at least in part on a determination thatthe call is established.
 26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein theprocessor presents, via the display, at least one of an incoming phonenumber corresponding to the electronic device or an elapsed time of thecall.
 27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor performs afunction corresponding to a user input to the menu during the call. 28.The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor hides the menu fromview on the display during the call based at least in part on adetermination that a predefined condition is met.
 29. A methodcomprising: receiving, at a first electronic device, a call request froma network via a communication interface operatively coupled with thefirst electronic device, the call request to establish a call betweenthe first electronic device and a second electronic device external tothe first electronic device; performing at least part of a call-set upwith the network; and presenting, via a display operatively coupled withthe first electronic device, a menu associated with the call based atleast in part on a determination that the call is established.
 30. Themethod of claim 29, wherein presenting the menu comprises: presenting,via the display, at least one of an incoming phone number correspondingto the second electronic device or an elapsed time of the call.
 31. Themethod of claim 29, wherein the menu comprises at least one of an iconor text.
 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the menu comprises textdisplayed below an icon.
 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the menucomprises text displayed adjacent to an icon.
 34. The method of claim29, wherein the menu provides at least one of a contact function, avolume control function, a mute function, a call shift function, a callhold function, and a video call function.
 35. The method of claim 29,wherein the call comprises a voice call.
 36. The method of claim 29,further comprising: performing a function corresponding to a selectionby user input on the menu during the call.
 37. The method of claim 29,further comprising: hiding the menu from view on the display during thecall based at least in part on a determination that a predefinedcondition is met.
 38. A non-transitory machine-readable storage devicestoring instructions that, when executed by one or more processors,cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:receiving, at a first electronic device, a call request from a networkvia a communication interface operatively coupled with the firstelectronic device, the call request to establish a call between thefirst electronic device and a second electronic device external to thefirst electronic device; performing at least part of a call-set up withthe network; and presenting, via a display operatively coupled with thefirst electronic device, a menu associated with the call based at leastin part on a determination that the call is established.